How About Those Hoakies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How About Those Hoakies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The NCAA selection commitee is going to have the hardest year they have ever had as far as seeding and most likely at large bids. There are going to be a group of about 6-8 teams that will be worth considering for the #1 seeds come March.
UNC, Florida, UCLA, Ohio St., Wisconsin, Kansas, and probably Pitt will all have a strong case.
Should be a helluva NCAA tourney.
I agree OSU needs to beat Wisconsin at home, and MSU on the road to better their case.
I'd like to see any other team in the country play UNC, Florida, and Wisconsin on the road, and not have their best big man against UNC and play better than OSU did. Except against Florida, where they got dominated.
If OSU can figure out a way to keep Butler and Lewis active and in the game while feeding Oden a ton, OSU will have a strong chance to make a big run come March.
Yeah, ya know, they're still trying to find their identity as a team. I made a post earlier in the week criticizing Oden's play...in the Tenn game he was awesome--for a little over a half. He ended with 24 pts. and 15 rebs. Good numbers...until you consider the fact that he had 20 and 10 at HALFTIME! Either he slacked off or OSU decided to go with a different plan. Either way, it didn't work...because that's when OSU was squandering their double-digit lead. Overall Oden was big (we probably don't win that game without him)...but I'm still looking for more from the dude. But I will say this...free throws...VERY impressive: 9 of 10 left-handed. Shaq needs to take note. Heck, LeBron needs to take note. I think Oden is going to be huge for us...we just need to keep figuring out our game with the Big-O in the lineup.
By the way, my buddy in C-bus tells me that the talk around there is that Oden has been quoted lately saying that he wants to stay four years. I'll believe it when I see it...but wouldn't that be amazing. Could you imagine how monstrous he'd be as a senior? Yikes.
For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism.
If he stayed longer than 2 years I think he would be insane. I could see him staying next year because at this point he lacks consistency. If he comes back next year he would most likely be a national player of the year candidate (if he keeps improving). I think 2 years would be perfect to fully develop and having him next year along with the other 7 footer we recruited for next year would be something.
Personally, I really hope OSU doesn't get a #1/2 seed in the tournament. I'm really hoping they can be a #4 seed or so. I think if OSU doesn't have a target on their back they can be the most dangerous.
The 4 year talk is just Oden stating what he might like to do in his perfect world. Fact is, the most he would be at OSU for would be this season and next. I could easily see him staying next season because of the injury and his lack of overall strength (when comparing it to Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudamire, etc in the NBA) and conditioning.
OSU could also win the national championship and he would then have very little to prove on the college level and leave.
*IF* he comes back next season, OSU and UNC would be hands down the favorites to win it all next year. If he does or does not I sure hope they match UNC and OSU up in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and let OSU host it, WOW!
OSU's team next year if Oden came back would simply be sickly deep.
PG - Conley Jr - So.
SG - Butler - Sr.
SF - Cook - So.
PF - Hunter - Sr.
C - Oden - So.
Bench:
Terwilliger - Sr.
Lighty - So.
Madsen - So.
Koufus - Fr. (aka Dirk Jr.)
Diebler - Fr.
Lauderdale - Fr.
Turner - Fr.
Wallace - Fr.
That team is 13 deep. That is as deep and talented as what UNC throws out this season. I'd say Lauderdale, Wallace, and Diebler would get the least playing time of the freshman. Koufus is going to be a beast at 7'1" and can play the SF position.
Anyways, enough of the rant. OSU will be Top 5 no matter what Oden does next season. It is very bright in C-Bus with Matta around.
Ohio State's young group will just get better and better. Nobody will want to play them come tournament time.
Thats a long ways away - I'm not sure how good UNC will be next year cause I don't know who is staying. I imagine Wright will be one and done, and who knows about Hansborough. Roy has not recruited one, not one, top 100 HS senior so that says to me he is expecting everyone back and is low on scholorships - but I just don't know.
"I came here to kick ass and chew bubble gum... and I'm all out of bubble gum."
- - Rowdy Roddy Piper
"It takes a big man to admit when he is wrong. I am not a big man"
- - Fletch
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